Being
by the random monkey
Summary: About three Black Mages who woke up, and what happened to them. Ch. 7 (finally): "There was... People died... Inside, there's still...." Mr. 73 fell silent for a moment, then sighed and turned around to look at the cave. "I just wanted to warn you."
1. Being 314

Title: Being 314  
Author: the random monkey  
Date: 9-8-03  
Author's notes: This is the first part of a small series I'm writing about the Black Mages who made it to the Black Mage Village. It'll probably seem really weird at first, but stick with it. It gets better. Enjoy! I own nothing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
I'm not a robot   
Without emotions  
I'm not what you see...  
-Styx, "Mr. Roboto"   
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Mission: Attack City  
Objective: Kill  
Instruction: Move out  
Complying...  
Seeking target  
New target sighted..... Terminated.  
Seeking target  
New target sighted...... Error: Pain  
Assessment:  
Left Hand removed. Method: Enemy weapon. Nonfatal; Continue mission.  
Target Terminated.  
Seeking Targetpain.  
Seeking TarPainget.  
SeekPAINing PAINTargPAINet  
Desire pain end....  
Error: Unknown instruction: Desire.  
Seeking Target.  
Desire pain end.  
Error: Conflicting instructions.  
Desire pain end.  
Error: Instruction not issued by commander.  
Desire pain end.  
Mission objective overridden; New objective: end pain.  
Method to achieve objective unknown.  
Stimulus: Rain  
Stimulus has continued since arrival.  
Stimlus elicits positive reaction in pained area.  
Stimulus...... Feels good.  
Instruction: find stronger source of positive stimulus.  
Error: Instruction not issued by commander.  
Request information: Who issues instructions?  
Request information: Who requests information?  
Answer: Being requests.  
Request information: Who is being?  
Answer: Being is individual who processes instructions.  
Being is individual containing pain.   
Being is individual processing rain stimulus.  
Being is individual.  
Being has label: 314.  
Instruction: pull out.  
Instruction is external to being's processes.  
Complying....  
Creating warp bubble.  
Warping to transport pod.  
Moving from transport pod to hangar.  
Airship is moving.  
Instruction (external): form ranks; prepare to receive food.  
Complying....  
Food recieved.  
Instruction (external): Eat.  
Complying....  
Stimulus: flavor.  
Request information: Reason for stimulus?  
Analysis: Food is identical to previous experiences.  
Answer: Stimulus experienced previously, ignored.  
Stimulus is pleasant.  
Eating is pleasant.  
Being 314 enjoys eating.  
Instruction completed.   
Stimulus: sound  
Stimulus comes from other beings. Other beings are different from Being 314. Other beings have label: Human.  
Request information: What is label for types like Being 314?  
Answer: Black Mage, A Type.  
Instruction (external): Damage report.  
Instruction (internal): Show lack of hand.  
Stimulus: Unknown type. Desire still have hand. Stimulus stems from desire. Stimulus is unpleasant. Stimulus name: sadness.  
Request information: How does Being 314 know such a stimulus?  
Information not found.  
Instruction (internal): Observe.  
Stimuli: Many previously experienced, ignored.  
Many glowing lights.Glowing eyes. Glowing eyes belong to others like Being 314. But others do not appear to observe.  
Two humans move through ranks. Humans request damage reports. Others comply. Humans appear to record results of requests.  
Strange noise, constant, low-pitched. Analysis: The engines that run the ship make noise.  
Sound stimulus is not pleasant. Being 314 does not like the engine sound.  
Instruction (external): Rest.  
Complying....  
Instruction (internal): Do not comply.  
Request information: Why does Being 314 desire to not comply?  
Answer: Being 314 desires more observation.  
Do not comply. Give the appearance of complying. Close eyes. Be still.  
Stimulus: Voices talking. Being 314 is unable to understand what is being said.  
The voices come closer. The words can now be understood.   
"1500 Gil? You're on!"  
"Hey, you!"  
Being 314 is being addressed. Being 314 opens eyes.  
One of the humans holds a small, round container out to Being 314. "Drink this."  
Being 314 takes the container. Being 314 must choose between complying and disobeying. Being 314 experiences a new stimulus: uncertainty.  
"Go, ahead, drink it!"  
Being 314 begins to comply, but stops. Being 314 experiences an unpleasant-smell stimulus. Being 314 does not comply.  
One of the humans laughs. "I told you he wouldn't do it!"  
The other human places both arms in front of it. "Wait a minute. How do I know they're not programmed not to drink piss?"  
The first human looks up. It takes the cup from Being 314. "Here's how!" It holds the container out to another mage. "You! Drink this."  
The other mage takes the container and drinks its contents. It does not hesitate.  
The second human makes a facial expression that Being 314 identifies as confusion. "How did you know this one wouldn't do it?"  
The first human laughs again as she answers. "When you work with these things for a while, you can see it. Some of 'em get screwed up; they won't follow orders. You seen how this one's been looking all over? He got screwed up, probably from gettin' his hand hacked off."  
Being 314 does not understand why she is laughing.  
"What do they do with them? The screwed-up ones, I mean?" asks the second one.  
"Send 'em back to Dali and recycle 'em, or something," says the first. "They got some way they can take 'em apart and use the parts for new ones."  
Being 314 experiences a new stimulus: fear. He does not desire to be taken apart. He desires to remain as he is! He desires to live!   
Being 314 makes a decision: He will not stay.   
"So pay up! You owe me 1500 Gil!" exclaims the first human.  
"Uh, yeah, about that.... I don't have 1500 Gil. I got shore leave last week, y'know." The two humans turn to leave.  
Being 314 raises his remaining hand. "Break!" he says. The two humans stop moving. Being 314 leaves the hangar and runs for the Transport pods. He knows more humans are following him, and he feels more fear, but finds the fear motivates him to run faster. He reaches the transport pods and jumps into one.   
Being 314 feels dizzy for a moment, then very light, as he rises out of the pod in a warp bubble. Strange, another stimulus he has felt many times, yet never noticed. But he does not think about this for long; instead, he focuses on the intensely pleasant feeling of happiness that comes from knowing he is free. 


	2. Being 286

Title: Being 286  
Author: the random monkey  
Date: September 11, 2003  
Author's Notes: I want to give some shout-outs to my homies *Pauses for crowd's cheers* First, I wanna thank my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I love you Jesus!* Kisses fingers and gives peace sign to sky* I'd also like to give a shout-out to my homie, Bloodshy Testament, she been a real source of inspiration, if you ain't read her fic "Love, Violence, and Swim Trunks," GO DO IT!!! Uh, after you finish mine. Yeah.  
Enjoy! I own nothing.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
"Who can I believe in?  
I'm kneeling on the floor.  
There has to be a force. Who do I phone?  
The stars are out and shining, But all I really want to know...  
Oh, won't you show me the way?"  
-Peter Frampton, "Show Me the Way"  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

  
He lay outside, in a ditch, in a pile of Black Mage bodies. The sun had just disappeared for the night, and he could see the tiny points of light in the sky in between the heads of two of his dead comrades.  
He knew something was happening to him, but he didn't know what. The pain that he had felt constantly since the house collapsed was fading, and everything seemed quieter, softer. Was this death?   
He stared at the stars, thinking. He deserved death, for what he had done. But somehow, he didn't want to die. He had just started to live...  
His number was 286. He had become aware that he was alive only a few days before. There, in the rainy place, where he had seen another mage get its hand cut off, and continue fighting, he had suddenly realized that he could be hurt, that he could die, just like their enemies were dying, and he had decided he did not want that to happen. But now...  
Now he had no choice. Maybe he never had had one. He stared at the sky lights, and waited for the inevitable.  
But something got in the way of the inevitable, and the lights, too. A face, its features invisible in the dark, except for two large, glowing eyes, hovered over him. Another Black Mage. Had it been sent to find bodies to be recycled?   
The other spoke. "Are you awake, sir?"  
286 was startled. Another who could talk? He opened his mouth to reply, but no sound came out. He tried again; same result.   
The other looked disappointed. It began to pull away.   
He felt stimuli he had felt many times in the past few days: sadness and fear. Tears filled his eyes, and his mouth opened in a silent sob.   
The other seemed to notice; it leaned over him and stared for several moments. Then it said, "Crying is not a programmed response for Black Mages. If you are carrying out an unprogrammed response, you must be able to think." It nodded, as if confirming its logic to itself, then began pulling bodies off of the pile.   
286 was filled with a new stimulus: relief. Maybe he wouldn't die, after all.   
He studied the other as it worked: an A type, big and strong, made to go into battle first and take out the local defenses. Then the B types, like 286, were supposed to follow, destroying everything and everyone they saw..   
The other removed the last body from on top of 286, then looked down at him. Its eyes widened in surprise. "You are damaged, sir," it said.   
He closed his eyes. Black Mages were programmed to ignore those who were damaged. Would the other now ignore him?   
It didn't ignore him. "Can you stand?" it asked.   
286 opened his eyes, surprised. The other held out a hand, as if offering to help him stand. But...  
286 shook his head. He had sustained damage to both legs and his right arm, and he could not move them.   
The other lowered its arm and paused for a moment. Then it leaned down. "I apologize if I cause you pain, sir," it said, and picked him up.   
He would have screamed if he could. Pain shot through his body as broken limbs were moved. The other began walking, jostling 286 around, and the pain increased to the point that he lost consciousness. 

  
He awoke as the sun was appearing, alone, in a different place. Mossy, rounded rocks were all around, and he heard a stream nearby. There was a small fire burning near him. It looked like someone had started it on purpose. Perhaps the other?...  
He lifted his head and looked around. The other was nowhere to be seen.   
He laid back and stared at the pinkening sky. Perhaps the other had left him to die. Or perhaps it had been captured. He stared at the sky, the dull but strong ache of his body the only thing keeping him from sleeping again, and waited, once again, for death. His mind began to wander...   
He had been awake when they attacked Lindblum; awake, but scared. He had seen another who had woken up, after the battle in the rainy place, and had heard the guards talking about what happened to Mages who didn't obey orders. They were taken apart, used to make new Mages.... So he had stayed still and silent, even while the other on the ship had run away. He had stayed still and silent, followed orders, warped into Lindblum. He had intended to leave, run away, be lost in the confusion, but something had happened. The killing, the destruction, the smell of blood and the sound of screams, had affected him somehow, called him, and he had given in....  
He shut his eyes tight. It hurt to think about, not physically like his legs and arm, but deep down, in a place he could not reach.  
He deserved to die for what he had done.  
He heard the sound of someone approaching. Perhaps more humans, seeking more vengeance. Perhaps more mages, sent to make sure that mages like 286 did not escape.   
The footsteps stopped, and he heard a voice. "Are you awake yet, sir?" it asked.   
He opened his eyes. The other was standing above him. Somehow, the mere presence of the other made him feel comforted. He smiled and tried to tell it this, but once again, when he opened his mouth, he couldn't make a sound.  
The other looked concerned. "Can you talk, sir?"   
286 looked away. He had no idea.  
The other stayed silent for a moment,then changed the subject. "I would like to help you with your damages, sir," it said. "I am not programmed to perform repairs. However, I think that if I do not attempt it, you will stop."  
286 said nothing.  
The other kneeled down by his right side and touched his arm. 286 arched his back as pain shot through him, and he opened his mouth, trying to scream. The other pulled its hands away, looking scared. "I am so sorry, sir! I did not mean to cause you pain!"  
286 squinted his eyes shut and bit his lip as he waited for the pain to subside, and gradually relaxed his back.  
The other was looking at the ground sadly. "Sir, I must repair your damages. Would you like me to cast Sleep on you?"  
286 stared at the other. Why was this one so insistent on repairing 286? They had no reason to care about each other, and nothing in common, except that they were both aware....  
286 nodded his head yes.  
The other laid its hand on 286's chest and cast the spell, and 286 fell blissfully into darkness.

  
The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes was the face of the other, who was sitting on the other side of the fire from 286. "Sir! You are awake!" it said happily, quickly moving over to 286's side.   
It was after dark. He was no longer on his back; he was now leaning against a rock. His arm and legs still ached; when he looked, he saw sticks were tied to his limbs with pieces of purple cloth. Confused, he pointed at them and looked at the other with a questioning look.  
"Are you attempting to ask about the sticks, sir?" asked the other. 286 nodded, and it continued. "Your limbs were bent in improper places. I attempted to straighten them. They would not stay straight. I found that if held to something straight, your limbs would stay straight. Therefore, I attached sticks to your limbs."  
286 looked again at his damaged limbs. It seemed like a difficult thing to figure out; he decided that the other must be very intelligent.  
"I have not found any food," continued the other, interrupting 286's thoughts. 286 looked back up, noticing the other's jacket was frayed at the bottom, and shorter than before. "I have found water, though. Are you thirsty?" It held up a makeshift container made of clay.   
286 realized he was. He nodded. As the other helped him drink, he admired the other Mage's intelligence again. 286 wouldn't have thought to make a container to carry water.  
"I have been thinking," said the other, after 286 had finished drinking. "Can you write, sir? If you cannot communicate by speaking, perhaps you can communicate by writing."  
286 thought about it. He had never tried to write before. Using his good hand, he tried it: he traced a few shapes into the dirt next to him.  
The other moved over to read what he had written. "Two Eighty-Six? Is that your name?"  
286 hesitated before he nodded. He had never thought of it as a name, just a number.  
The other looked excited. "It is nice to meet you, Mr. 286! My name is 287."  
287... They had probably fought next to each other and not even known it. For some reason the thought made him shiver.  
287 saw this. "Are you okay, sir?" he asked.   
286 nodded, then thought of something he had been wondering. He wrote it in the dirt.  
"'Why do you call me sir?'" 287 read. He looked at 286. "I do not know," he said. "It seemed appropriate."  
Appropriate? How could it be appropriate for anyone to call him 'sir', after what he had done? After he had killed.... He began to shake again, and he shut his eyes tight, trying to block out the memories.  
He felt a hand on his arm. "What is it?" asked 287. 286 opened his eyes and looked at the other mage. 287 looked worried, scared, even, unable to understand what was happening, just like... those humans....   
286 looked around. Fire... Darkness.... Humans.... And suddenly he was there, pulse pounding in his ears, screams all around him, standing in the burning structure, the humans huddling in the corner. They were such small humans, and so scared; they didn't understand what was happening. For a moment he had felt a strange sensation of wanting to be kind to them, because they were _alike_, but he had quickly ignored it. All that had mattered was following the command, even though he knew it was wrong, because it felt right, so much better than disobeying. He had raised his hands...  
Pain came streaking through him, bringing him back to reality. He realized he was sobbing.  
287 was sitting on 286's right side, hands poised above 286's broken arm, looking at 286 sadly. "I am very sorry, sir," he said. "You were not responding. I was afraid you had stopped."  
286 leaned back against the rock and cried, silently, for a long time.


	3. Being 287

Title: Being 287  
Author: the random monkey  
Date: 9-24-03  
Author's notes: Okay, I know this one will be a little annoying to read. Poor Mr. 287 does not understand the concept of complex sentences. Poor Mr. 287 also does not understand the concept of contractions. Poor Mr. 287 has trouble with the concept of pronouns. The author wishes for the reader to stick with it. The author wishes for the reader to know the story of Mr. 287. The author promises the reader that the next chapter will be easier to read. The author wishes for the reader to enjoy the story. The author owns nothing.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Why's it never light on my lawn?  
Why does it rain and never say good-day to the new-born?  
-Elton John, "Grey Seal"  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  


Humans could see better in daylight. The sun was setting. When the sun set there would be less light. Therefore, humans would not be able to see well after sunset. 287 did not want to be seen by humans. Therefore, 287 would hide until sunset.  
287 watched. Humans piled Black Mage bodies in the field outside of Lindblum. Most of the bodies did not move. A few did still move when they were brought out. Most of these bodies soon stopped moving. 287 watched and waited. 287 considered what he wanted to do.  
Some of the bodies still moved. 287 felt a longing for others like himself. The bodies that still moved were like 287. It was possible that they were not the same mentally, however.  
287 knew his own mind was strange. 287 was doing things he had never been programmed to do. Thinking, for example.Making decisions. It was possible that others could also make decisions and think. 287 felt a longing to meet others who could do such things. Therefore, after sunset, 287 would look for others who could think and decide. 287 nodded his head to himself at reaching this decision.  
Nightfall came. The humans stopped bringing out bodies. 287 walked out into the field cautiously. 287 walked over to the first pile of bodies. None of the bodies moved. The eyes of the bodies had no glow. Therefore, none of them were like 287, who could move.  
287 moved to the next pile. One pair of eyes in the pile glowed.  
287 considered the best way to inquire about the body's status. 287 finally decided on, "Are you awake, sir?"  
The body did not appear to respond.  
287 pulled away from the pile. 287 stopped when he heard a noise. The noise sounded like distressed breathing. 287 looked back down at the glowing eyes. The eyes also looked distressed. There were tears in the eyes. The body was crying.  
287 thought about this. "Crying is not a programmed response for Black Mages," 287 said. "If you are carrying out an unprogrammed response, you must be able to think." 287 nodded to himself. 287 desired to meet others who could think. This one could think. This one also needed help. Therefore, 287 would help this one. Then 287 would be able to meet this one.   
287 began to pull bodies off of the pile. The other stared at 287 while 287 worked. 287 pulled a final body off of the other. Then 287 looked at the other.   
287's eyes widened. 287 felt surprised. The other's limbs were bent at strange angles. The other's clothing was burned. "You are damaged, sir," 287 said.  
The other closed its eyes. The other seemed to be waiting. 287 did not known what the other was waiting for. Perhaps the other needed more help. 287 held out a hand. "Can you stand, sir?" 287 asked.  
The other shook its head from side to side. This was a signal for no.  
287 lowered his hand. 287 thought about what to do. The other should be moved. It was dangerous for the other to stay here. The other was damaged. The other could not move on its own. Therefore, 287 would help the other move. However, moving the other might cause it pain.   
287 leaned down. "I am sorry if I cause you pain, sir," 287 said. 287 put his arms under the other. 287 lifted the other.   
The other appeared to be in distress. 287 began walking. The other went limp. 287 paused. Had the other stopped moving? Was the other no longer like 287? The other was still breathing. The other's eyes still glowed. The bodies of those who were unable to move did not breathe. Their eyes did not glow. Therefore, the other was still able to move. The other was still like 287.  
287 continued walking. 287 carried the other to the place 287 had been hiding in. It was a place with many boulders. The boulders were covered with moss. There was a stream nearby.  
287 put the other down. 287 considered what to do next. 287 wanted to know if there were more others who could think. 287 would leave the other here. 287 would leave a fire to keep the other warm. 287 would then go look for more others.  
287 built a fire. Then 287 left.

Humans could see better in daylight. The sun was rising. When the sun rose there would be daylight. Therefore, humans would be able to see better after sunrise. 287 did not want to be seen by humans. Therefore, 287 would hide after sunrise.

287 was disappointed. 287 had not found any other who could think.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

It had been several days since 287 had found Mr. 286. Mr. 286 was better. Mr. 286 could now walk. However, Mr. 286 still seemed very sad.  
"Sir, may I ask you a question?" 287 asked.  
Mr. 286 looked at 287. He shook his head up and down. This was a signal for yes.  
"You seem very sad. Why are you sad?"  
Mr. 286 looked away. He looked at the sky. He shook slightly. Then he shook his head no.  
"I do not understand, sir," said 287.  
Mr. 286 shook his head no again. There were tears in his eyes.  
287 decided to change the subject. "We should continue traveling soon, sir," he said. "Do your legs still feel well?"  
Mr. 286 nodded. He rose to his feet. He gave a small grimace.  
287 rose also. He cast a small water spell on their fire. The two of them began to walk.  
They wandered on in silence for a while. Suddenly, Mr. 286 stopped.  
"What is it, sir?" asked 287. He also stopped.  
Mr. 286 pointed at a small group of boulders.  
287 looked at it. Then he looked at Mr. 286. "Sir?" he asked.  
Mr. 286 leaned down. He cleared the grass from a spot in the dirt. He wrote a message in the dirt. _I recognize these rocks. We've passed them before._  
287 looked at the message. Then he looked at Mr. 286. The message made 287 feel uneasy. "Are you certain?" he asked.  
Mr. 286 nodded.  
287 felt more uneasy. "We have followed the edge of this cliff. We have passed by the same spot before. Therefore." He looked at Mr. 286. "I do not know."  
Mr. 286 kneeled down. He drew a circle in the dirt. He drew a small spot on the circle. Then he pointed at the rocks in front of them.  
"That point represents the rocks?" 287 asked.  
Mr. 286 nodded. He drew another spot just inside the circle. Then he pointed at himself and 287.  
"That represents us?"  
Mr. 286 nodded again. He drew another circle inside the first one. The new circle started on the spot representing the two mages. Then he looked up at 287.  
287 kneeled down next to Mr. 286. He studied the drawing. "The second circle is our path," he said finally. "We have followed the edge of the cliff. Therefore, the first circle represents the edge of the cliff. Therefore." He realized why he had felt uneasy. "There is no path off of the cliff."  
Mr. 286 nodded. He rubbed out the drawing with his hand.  
"What do we do now?" 287 asked. He sat down on the ground.  
Mr. 286 raised his shoulders. This was a signal for "I do not know."  
287 felt more uneasy. His abdomen hurt. His throat felt tight. "There are many humans around. Humans do not like us. If humans find us, they will harm us. They might destroy us." He felt a stinging sensation in his eyes. Tears? He had never cried before. "I do not wish to be harmed, sir," he said. The tears began to move from his eyes down his face. "I am afraid."  
287 felt an arm around his shoulders. He looked up. Mr. 286 had a kind look on his face. As 287 looked at him, it slowly changed to a scared expression. Mr. 286 started to shake again.  
"Sir?" said 287. His own voice was shaky.  
Mr. 286 wrapped both arms around 287. He held 287 tightly. It was very comforting. 287 returned the gesture. They held each other for a time.  
Mr. 286 finally broke the embrace. He stood up. He walked to the edge of the cliff. He looked down. He seemed to be studying something.  
287 stood up. He joined Mr. 286. "What are you looking at, sir?" he asked.  
Mr. 286 paused. Then he began making several gestures. He moved his hands as if he were pulling something down. He moved his legs as if he were walking up a hill.  
287 was confused. "I do not understand, sir," he said.  
Mr. 286 sighed. He looked around. Finally he walked back to the dirt by the rocks. He bent down. He wrote another message. _Maybe we can climb down._  
287 read the message. Then he walked back to the edge of the cliff. He looked down. He could not see the bottom. The Mist hid it.  
287 looked back at Mr. 286. "Do you think we could do it?" he asked.  
Mr. 286 nodded.  
287 looked back down. "The ground is probably very far below. If we fell, we would certainly stop. Therefore, we must be careful not to fall." He nodded to himself. Then, he swung his legs over the cliff. He carefully felt for places to put his feet. Then he began to climb down.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

BUM-BUM-BUM! CLIFFHANGER! LITERALLY! Tune in next chapter to see what happens. Same random time, same random channel!


	4. Meeting

Title: Meeting  
Author: the random monkey  
Date: about a month; finished 12-8-03  
Author's notes: Aaah, semester break. An entire month to do wahtever I want, free from the oppressive regime of homework. At least, until my parents see my grades... If I stop responding to e-mails around Dec. 17, call the FBI.  
Anyway, I finally finished this chapter. I wrote the first draft for it, like, right after I finished the last chapter, and I just kept revising it... If I don't post it now, I think I'm gonna give up, because it's never gonna be perfect enough. You know how that is? Plus, when I take too long, I get too used to the idea, and it seems sooo unoriginal, so I don't want to bother writing it out... So I guess I better get to it, ne? Enjoy, and Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwaanza, Boxing Day, or Atheist Children Get Presents Day! I own nothing.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~  
Step by step,   
Heart to heart,   
Left right left,   
We all fall down   
Like toy soldiers  
-Martika, "Toy Soldiers"  
~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
314 wandered slowly through the Mist. He had been wandering for days, unsure of what to do or where to go.  
He sat down for a moment to rest. He felt tired, weak and dizzy, even though he had slept well and often, and eaten enough food. He also felt very hot, even when he held still. But most troubling to him was the area on his left arm where his hand had been. It ached constantly, and was starting to ooze a whitish substance. It worried him. Was there something wrong with his body? What could he do?  
He decided to stop thinking about this. There was nothing he could do, after all, and the feelings of anxiety were unpleasant. Instead, he looked at his surroundings.  
The ground around him was covered with dark green plants, as far as he could see, except be hind him and to the left, where there was a small forest full of tall, leafy trees, and in front him, where, barely visible through the Mist, was a dark brownish area that extended high above him- most likely a cliff.  
He let his eyes follow the cliff upward, marvelling once again at the existence of something so tall, when he suddenly detected movement - Two large blackish blobs moving down the face of the cliff.   
He watched, confused, as the two blobs moved slowly down the cliff. He had seen many cliffs since his escape, but never one with things moving on it. What could the things be? Some sort of animal? A monster? There were many monsters in the Mist, he knew from experience, but he had never seen one that climbed cliffs.  
He watched as one of the dots suddenly started moing very quickly- falling, in fact. As it landed with a thud in a heap on the ground, he was able to make out a pointy hat and a pair of glowing yellow eyes.   
A small chill ran through 314 as the A type Black Mage hit the ground. Another Black Mage! And it must be awake; surely no one would order a Black Mage to climb down a cliff, so it must be acting on its own. And... He looked up at the cliff at the other blob, now climbing much faster, and was able to make out another pointy hat.   
He scrambled to his feet, suddenly more energetic. Two others like him! For a fleeting moment, 314 wondered if this was one of the pleasant visions he had while sleeping, but quickly decided it was real, because his body never felt this uncomforatable in the visions.  
The third mage, a B type, jumped down the remainder of the cliff, landing on the ground with a thud. It quickly scrambled over to the first one, then rolled it onto its back and started shaking it, apparently trying to wake it up. 314 approached slowly, his legs aching. The B type stood suddenly, holding out a hand threateningly.  
314 froze, unsure if the other would cast a spell or not, and for a moment, the two stared at each other. Finally, 314 broke the silence. "It's okay. I'm also aware."  
The other's eyes widened, and it slowly lowered its hand. It kneeled back down next to its companion.  
314 approached the two. The one who had fallen lay motionless, its eyes closed.   
"Is it....?" he asked.  
The other laid its hand on the fallen A type's chest, then motioned for 314 to do the same. He complied, and was surprised to feel the rise and fall of the mage's breathing and the steady thud of its pulse under his hand. Somehow, it had never occurred to him that these things could be felt.   
314 sat down on ther other side of the body, staring at the B type across from him. For a moment, neither one did anything; 314 wondered if he should say something, and if so, what. Then suddenly, the other mage turned and began pulling plants out of the ground. 314 watched with interest as the mage cleared a patch of dirt, then wrote a message in it. _My name is 286. I can't talk._  
"I'm 314," he said, when he had finished reading. "Why can't you talk?"  
Mr. 286 flinched as if he'd been hit, then quickly smeared his last message and wrote, _It's a long story. I don't care to tell it._ He glanced over at his companion, then wrote another message: _Can you help me move him?_  
314 looked from one mage to the other. "I'll try," he replied, "but I haven't felt well for several days, and I don't know how much I can help. Where do you want to move him to?"  
Mr. 286 considered, then wrote, _Is there any shelter nearby?  
_ "The closest shelter I know of is the one I stayed in last night," said 314. "It's a small structure made of branches in a patch of trees nearby."   
Mr. 286 nodded in approval and stood, then paused, looking down at his partner, a look of confusion on his face.  
"How will we get him there?" 314 understood the question without having to be asked. He paused, considering the best solution, then after a moment said, "I'll lift his legs; they're heavier, and I have more muscle than you. You lift his shoulders and head. I'll try to lead you towards the place." He nodded his head, as he always did when he'd solved a problem.  
314 stood, and the two mages tried to lift the body of the unconscious A type, but almost the instant 314 picked up the others' legs, he felt his strength drain away. He took a few trembling steps, then nearly fell down, dropping his end of the body. Mr. 286 stopped and looked at 314 angrily.   
"I'm sorry," 314 said apologetically, trying to catch his breath. "I told you, I haven't been well."  
Mr. 286 gently lowered the other mage's head to the ground, then sighed and looked up, his expression one of hopelessness and uncertainty. Looking at him, 314 was overcome by the emotions that suddenly filled him. He thought he had learned all of the emotions by now, but this one was new. He squinted his eyes shut as he considered it. He felt sadness at not being able to help Mr. 286, and anger at himself for the same reason... _ Frustration? Is that what this is called?_  
A loud, shuttering gasp made him open his eyes. He looked at Mr. 286, who was staring at the ground, looking amazed. 314 followed his gaze, and saw that the third mage's eyes were open. But something was wrong... very wrong...   
314 shuddered as he realized what the problem was. The other's eyes...  
Were completely empty.   
He looked up at Mr. 286, wondering if the other had seen the same thing; the look on Mr. 286's face told him that it was true.   
314 dropped to the ground, suddenly more exhausted than ever. Empty. Soulless. Unaware. Those were the eyes of a mindless killer.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Default Mission: Wait For Orders   
Default Objective: Obey   
Awaiting instruction.   
Error: Pain.   
Assessment: Body shaken. Nonfatal; Continue mission.   
Error: Pain   
Assessment: Blow to Face. Nonfatal; Continue mission.   
_He's crying..._   
Error: Extraneous stimulus.   
Stimulus ignored.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
This could not be happening.  
He stared into those blank eyes for the millionth time, searching for any sign of life, any glimmer of thought, of awareness. But they stayed blank.  
He let his gaze fall numbly down to his gloved hands, as he went over what had happened yet again. Mr. 287 had climbed down ahead of 286, and they'd gotten about halfway down the cliff without a problem. 286 wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but somehow, Mr. 287 had lost his grip, and fallen to the ground below...  
286 still wasn't sure how he had made it down the cliff face himself. The next thing he knew, he was crawling over to Mr. 287's limp form, rolling him onto his back, relieved to find he was still breathing. Then the new person, Mr. 314, had come, and they'd tried to move 287; and finally, 287 had woken up.  
Almost.  
The fall had done something to 287; he hadn't died, but he might as well have. He wasn't Mr. 287 anymore. He was a tool. A machine built to take orders.  
286's gaze rested on the knuckles of his right hand, where a dark smear of blood stained the white material of his gloves. He'd just felt such anger and fear... He had hit 287, hit him hard, and the other hadn't even reacted. He would have hit him again, too, if Mr. 314 hadn't stopped him.   
He squeezed his eyes shut, biting his lip. 287 responded to orders, as he was programmed to do; Mr.314 had ordered him to follow, and had led the way to a tiny but well-built hutch in a small forest. They had squeezed in with just enough room for a small fire, and Mr. 314 had fallen asleep almost immediately, leaving 286 with nothing to do but stare at the empty shell of his former friend, and remember, over and over, what had happened.   
He looked up again, into those blank eyes, halfheartedly hoping that this time, he'd see some faint spark of awareness in them. But they still stared back vacantly, hollowly, without emotion.  
This could not be happening...  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
314 awoke, his head throbbing and his body aching. He still felt tired, and the feeling of being unbearably hot was still there, only now he felt himself shivering. The sensations scared him, but he tried to push the frightened thoughts away. Maybe all he needed was to get moving...  
Weakly, he opened his eyes. Mr. 286 was already awake, and was staring out the front of their shelter, knees drawn up to his chest.  
"Did you sleep?" 314 asked, sitting up a little bit and trying to stretch in the small space.   
Mr. 286 startled, then nodded slowly without looking back, holding up his hand with his thumb and forefinger a short distance apart. A little.  
314 looked at the third mage, hoping that there had been some change in it, but it still stared vacantly into space.   
314 looked back to Mr. 286. "You never told me his name," he said.  
Mr. 286 sighed heavily and wrote three figures in the dirt next to him with a finger. _287._ He hesitated, then wrote more. _We cared about each other; he took care of me when I was injured. I think that makes us friends._ He paused again, then quickly rubbed out his message and wrote, _Now that you're awake, we should leave.  
_ "Yes," agreed 314. He sat up all the way, but was suddenly overcome by a wave of dizziness. His vision blurred, then everything went black...  
... and the next thing he knew he was laying back down, and Mr. 286 was staring down at him with a look of deep concern. He pointed down at the ground next to him, where 314 assumed he had written a message. He tried to lift his head to look at it, but found he was too weak to even do this.  
Mr. 286 stared at him sadly for a long moment, then started moving away. A wave of fear passed through 314. "No, don't leave!" he mumbled weakly, making a feeble attempt to grab Mr. 286's arm.   
Mr. 286 moved back into his field of vision, taking 314's hand and squeezing it comfortingly. 314 relaxed instantly. "Don't leave. Please," he whispered.   
Mr. 286 shook his head no, then pointed to himself and then the ground. I'll stay here.  
314 smiled and closed his eyes, and was soon asleep again. 


	5. Learning

Title: Learning  
Author: the random monkey  
Date: 2-2-04  
Author's notes: Yes, I know this took forever, and I'm sorry to disappoint my diehard fans (all three of you). I just had a tough time writing this chapter, because I didn't plan in advance where I would go from the last chapter. Luckily, I know how the rest of the story is going to go, so we shouldn't have this problem again.  
Thank you to NeoNaoNeo and Bloodshy Testament (and Black Waltz Three) for help with this fic. And, now, I shall sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
Water dissolvng, and water removing!  
There is water at the bottom of the ocean!  
Into the water, carry the water.  
Water dissolving, and water removing.  
-Talking Heads, "Once in a Lifetime"  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The birds were pulling on him again. They were all grabbing his left arm, and they were trying to carry him away. He could hear them talking:  
"They got some way they can take 'em apart and use the parts for new ones."  
"How do I know they're not programmed not to drink piss?"  
"You seen how this one's been looking all over? He got screwed up, probably from gettin' his hand hacked off."  
"No!" he cried. He began thrashing around, trying to pull his arm from their grips.   
The birds exploded, forming two big, round pools of light. They were Mr. 286's eyes. The mage looked down at him kindly, rubbing his chest reassuringly.  
He calmed down, and smiled back, but the image quickly melted before him. He frowned. He couldn't remember seeing anyone melt before. It took him a moment to figure out the reason why: his eyes were made of fire. He looked around, and saw another mage, who looked back at him, and they both exploded.  
  
  
286 hadn't known what to do. There was obviously something wrong with Mr. 314, but he didn't look injured. The only thing wrong with him, as far as 286 could tell, was that the stump where Mr. 314's left hand had been was covered with oozing white stuff. At a loss for anything else to do, he had wiped the stuff off and left Mr. 314 to sleep.   
When he had looked later, the white stuff was back. 286 had thought about what to do for a moment, and decided to cover Mr. 314's wound. After tearing off the heavy gold decoration at the bottom of his jacket, 286 had torn off a strip of cloth and tied it to 314's arm. He had checked underneath it every so often, wiping off the white stuff that still found a way to get onto the wound, but noticing that there was a little less each time.  
Sometimes Mr. 314 seemed really scared when 286 tried to check the bandage. He would pull his arm away and start screaming things that didn't make any sense. 286 would hold him, stroke his cheek or rub his chest, and wait until the mage calmed.   
It frustrated him, that this was all he could do, but it was better than not being able to do anything...  
  
  
_ That wasn't good,_ he thought. _I didn't like that at all. But this is nice. _He was floating facedown in a river, watching the fish swim beneath him. He waved to the fish, who waved back.   
Someone pulled him out of the water, and he sat on the shore. Someone thrust something wet in his face. "You! Drink this."  
He had learned his lesson. He slurped up the liquid without a pause.  
"Good mage! We won't recycle you!" they said.  
He smiled at them, then stood and joined the line. They waited until the command was given, then all walked calmly off the cliff.  
  
  
It had taken 286 the better part of a day to figure out how to get water to his friends. He had tried to make a container out of clay like he had seen Mr. 287 make, but they all fell apart. He tried carrying the water in his hands, but it all dripped out by the time he got back to the shelter. Frustrated, he had sat by the water, idly dipping his hands in it, when he had noticed the fabric of his coat turned darker and got heavier when it got wet.  
He had lifted it up and examined it closely. The water seemed stuck in the fabric, and only dripped slowly from one spot. Excited, he had torn another strip off of his jacket and dunked it in the water.  
The water behaved the same way, dripping out of the cloth, but slowly enough that he could get it back to the shelter.  
And that was how he made sure his friends got, if not enough, at least some water. They both began sucking automatically at the wet cloth when he put it to their lips; all he had to do was make the trip to the tiny brook over and over to re-wet the cloths.   
  
  
He was flying again, in the warp bubble, down, down toward the city. The instructions rang in his ears.  
"The Mission is to attack the city. The Objective is to destroy. Default command for the Objective is Kill. Move out!"  
He landed in the city, and ran around, casting Fire spells at anything that moved. Boom! A person blew up. Blam! Another one fell. Mr. 286 ran out in front of him and stood.  
He shrugged. "This is what we do."  
He blew up Mr. 286.  
  
  
The most difficult part was taking care of 287.  
286 still couldn't talk, and was starting to give up hope of ever doing so, and couldn't give commands to 287. Some stuff he could get his former friend to do; if 286 shoved a piece of food into 287's mouth, he would chew and swallow it; if 286 tugged long and hard enough on 287's arm, 287 would get up and follow him. 286 had to walk him through every action: drinking, sleeping, relieving himself. 287 was completely helpless.  
Sometimes, 286 even wondered why he kept doing it. 287 might never wake up again, after all, and he was taking up food and water, as well as a lot of 286's energy.  
But every time he thought of this, he thought of how the two had met, how Mr. 287 had devoted his energy to helping a half-dead mage he didn't even know. And then 286 knew it was worth it.  
  
  
He looked down at 286's charred body. It scared him; it looked too much like himself.  
He frowned, turning away and starting to look at everyone else. They all looked too much like himself. They all _were_ himself, he realized.   
The birds flew up and sat down by his feet. "Some of 'em get screwed up; they won't follow orders. "  
"What do they do with them? The screwed-up ones, I mean?"  
"Send 'em back to Dali and recycle 'em, or something."  
He frowned again. "I don't like you," he said. He raised his hand and cast a Firaga spell at them, and watched as they blew up.  
He walked back to the shelter and sat up, then laid back down again, tired. He looked over at Mr. 286. The other mage, looking very confused, rushed over to 314, helping the mage sit up again.   
314 smiled at Mr. 286. "Can I have some water, please?" he asked.  



	6. Leaving?

Title: Leaving?  
Author: the random monkey  
Date: March 18, 2004  
Author's notes: Ugh. I know these chapters aren't terribly interesting- at least, they weren't to write. To be honest, I've added to this story, and it's going to be longer than I thought, but it's gonna make more sense. Just bear with me. The good stuff's coming.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
And if you'll be my bodyguard,  
I can be your long-lost pal.  
I can call you Betty,  
And Betty, when you call me, you can call me Al.  
-Paul Simon, "You Can Call Me Al"  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I'm sorry you have to do this," 314 said. He was leaning against a tree near a small stream, idly playing with his belt and watching Mr. 286 work. The B type was scrubbing 314's pants, trying to remove a brown stain from their seat.  
Mr. 286 paused from his scrubbing to dry off a finger on his own pants and write a message: _It's not your fault. You were too sick to move; how could you have gone outside to relieve yourself?_  
"I know," 314 said, sighing. "It's still embarrassing, though."  
Mr. 286 looked at him questioningly.  
"Oh. That's sort of... sad and angry that something happened, but at yourself, because you wish it hadn't happened. Does that make any sense?" 314 asked, and 286 nodded.  
314 went back to playing with his belt. _He's so nice. He could have left any time, but instead he stayed and took care of me... Somehow... that just makes me feel good. I wish there was something I could do to show how much I appreciate it..._   
286 finished scrubbing 314's pants and hung them over a tree branch to dry, then gestured 314 over to him.  
Sighing again, 314 scooted to the edge of the river and held out his left arm to Mr. 286, who carefully unwrapped the strip of purple cloth wrapped around it. He looked at the stump, then looked up at 314 with a big smile.  
Curious, 314 awkwardly bent his arm toward himself so he could see the stump. "Hey!" he exclaimed, then looked up and grinned at Mr. 286. "There's no white stuff!" Now there was just a large section of dry, rough skin covering the wound.  
Mr. 286 gently pulled 314's arm back. 314 let Mr. 286 wash it. "This is wonderful," he murmured as Mr. 286 worked. "We can finally start travelling."  
Mr. 286 stopped in mid-scrub, looking up at 314, a strange, mixed expression on his face.  
"What?" asked 314, suddenly worried he had done something wrong.  
Mr. 286 sighed silently, then dried one hand on his coat and wrote a message: _I've been thinking about that. Where will we go?_  
314 frowned as he read the message. "What do you mean?"  
Mr. 286 paused, thinking, then wrote another message: _Where are we travelling to?_  
"Well-" 314 began, then stopped, realizing to his surprise that he hadn't ever considered it. "Um...."  
_Because we could stay here_, Mr. 286 continued. _We have food and shelter and water. We don't need to go anywhere else._  
314 stared at the words, suddenly lost deep in thought. _We don't have to leave. But I want to leave. But why do I want to leave? _  
Mr. 286 tugged gently on his sleeve to get his attention, a look of concern on his face.  
"Um..." 314 began. "I... I'm confused right now. I think... I need to think about it."  
Mr. 286 nodded, then went back to washing and bandaging 314's arm. After he finished, he left to find food, leaving 314 alone with his thoughts. Ther was a lot to think about.  
_ When I first escaped, I wanted to get away from humans. I jumped in the telepod and warped until I got past the mountains, then I started walking... I haven't seen a human since on the airship. But does that mean they're not around? Should we stay here until we find out, or should we travel until we find some place where we know humans can't find us?  
But is there even such a place? And where would it be? And how would we know how to get there?   
_He stayed lost in thought as Mr. 286 returned and helped him stand and put on his still-damp pants, then walk back to their shelter. _Where would we go? I just feel like it's... right to keep travelling... I wonder why..._   
He was interrupted by Mr. 286 suddenly stopping and poking him to get his attention.  
"Wha-" he started, but Mr. 286 clapped a hand over the A-type's mouth and pointed. 314's eyes followed Mr. 286's arm, his eyes quickly picking out the source of Mr. 286's uneasiness. Their shelter was a short distance away, and there, examining it, was a Black mage- a C-type, without his armor but with his staff and what looked like several pouches hanging by strings over his shoulder.  
314 gasped, even more thoughts entering his already crowded mind, and watched the mage poke the still-unaware 287 a few times, then sit down in the shelter and look around. _What is it doing here? Is it safe to go near? Why is it in our shelter?_  
"What should we do?" 314 asked quietly, looking to Mr. 286.  
At first, Mr. 286 didn't seem to have heard the question, but after a moment he squatted down, cleared a patch of ground, and wrote, _It looks like he's awake. I think we should talk to him._  
314 nodded as Mr. 286 stood up, and together they walked into view of the shelter.  
  
  
"Hm," he said, studying the mage sitting in the shelter. "So, you don't, um, talk?"  
The mage remained silent, staring blankly ahead.  
"Hm," he repeated, more to himself than the other. "It looks like you're unaware. But, um, if you're not awake, then how could you build this shelter?" He sat down to think about it, but was distracted by the dirt floor of the shelter, where fragments of words could be seen.   
"Hn," he said, moving to look at them better. "Awake... wh... Looks like white... ter... 4... I wonder what that means?"  
His studies were interrupted by a hoarse voice. "Excuse me, sir," it said. "What are you doing in our shelter?"  
He jumped, startled, and turned towards the entrance and the two Black Mages who stood outside. "Oh, hi!" he said cheerfully. "I, uh, didn't know anyone but him-" he pointed to the staring mage- "lived here." He stood and tried to exit, but tripped over one of the staring mage's legs and crashed into the two mages outside.  
"Oh! I'm so sorry!" he said, scrambling to his feet and helping the others do the same.   
"It's okay," said one, an A-type. His clothes were stained and torn, and he seemed too thin for an A-type. "We were just surprised to see someone in our shelter... Especially another Black Mage." He cocked his head to the side. "I'm 314, this is Mr. 286-" he pointed to the equally dissheveled B-type standing next to him- "And that's Mr. 287." He pointed to the staring mage, who still didn't react.  
"Nice to meet you! Um, I'm 73."  
There was an uncomfortable silence. Then the B-type, Mr. 286, kneeled down and wrote in the dirt. _Did you just wake up?_  
73 frowned, looking at the message, then back up at Mr. 286. "Why don't you just, um, ask me?"  
"He can't talk," explained 314.   
"Why?" 73 asked, studying Mr. 286. "Is his head broken, or something?"   
_ HEY!_ scribbled Mr. 286.  
"I don't know why," said Mr. 314. "He never told me; he said he doesn't like to think about it."  
"Oh," said 73. "Um... Can you understand me?" he asked Mr. 286, making sure to speak slowly and loudly.  
_Yes,_ wrote Mr. 286, an angry expression on his face, _and I'd like you to answer my question._  
"Oh," 73 said, looking back to the original message. "Um... No, I've been awake for a while. Oh! That's um, why I'm here! I came back to help others!"  
"Came back?" asked Mr. 314, looking confused.  
"Yeah!" exclaimed 73, now excited. "I, um, came back to find others- um, others who woke up- and guide them to the village!"  
"Village?!" exclaimed Mr. 314, and both he and Mr. 286 backed away.  
"Oh! Don't be scared!" 73 said quickly, sensing the reason for their apprehension. "It's, um, not a human village. Only Black Mages!"  
The two just stared at him. 73, not sure they had heard, Began to repeat himself. "It's not a human-"  
"We heard you," said Mr. 314 softly. "Y-you mean... there's a place... with just Black Mages?"  
"Yeah! Isn't it great?" said 73. "It's, uh, tough to find, so the humans can't get there, but, uh, I came back to see if there were any mages who woke up, and, uh, wanted to come."  
"Of course we want to come!" cried Mr. 314 loudly, suddenly grinning broadly. Mr. 286 sank to the ground, his shoulders shaking, and 73 couldn't tell if he was laughing or crying.  



	7. Travelling

Title: Travelling  
Author: the random monkey  
Date: 8-31-04  
Author's notes: Here it is, folks, the long-awaited seventh chapter. The first part of it came fast, but the rest... meh. It's kinda filler, and there's more filler to come, but I'll try to make it interesting. (Traumatized mages are interesting, right? )  
Enjoy! I own nothing.  
P.S. This song is teh ROXORZ!!!!1  
P.P.S. Apparently has started removing "non-language relevant characters." No underscores, carats, asterixes or tildes. And I don't know about you, but I wasn't informed. Now I have to go back and edit all my stories to include lines again. (This is where an angry emoticon would go, but it's no longer supported, apparently.)  
  
-----------  
  
"From here on son, it's not that sunny,  
It's a long and lonely climb."  
-Elton John, "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy"  
  
-----------  
  
"Here we are!" said Mr. 73 cheerfully.  
286 stopped and looked at the cave in front of them. It was an opening carved in the side of a mountain, a high arch that ended far above their heads. A few stairs led inside to a hall decorated with intricate carvings that faded into the dark depths. On either side of the opening were the remains of several tall pillars- and behind the broken, jagged edges of the pillars were familiar scorch marks.  
286's knees suddenly felt weak, standing there. He knew what those markings were from. They all did. They stood in silence for a few moments, each lost in his own thoughts.  
Mr. 314 finally broke the silence, clearing his throat. "So it's just through here?" he asked.  
"Um.... no," replied Mr. 73, raising one hand to scratch the back of his neck. "This is, uh, the first part." He semed like he wanted to say something more, but stopped.  
"What is it?" Mr. 314 must have noticed this as well.  
"Um..." Mr. 73 shifted his weight from foot to foot nervously.  
Seeing Mr. 73 nervous made 286 nervous too. During the short time they had been travelling together, the C-type had been very cheerful and positive. If the thought of entering the cave was enough to scare him, the journey would probably be terrible....  
"Is something wrong?" asked Mr. 314 worriedly.  
Mr. 73 sighed. "There was a battle here."  
"We can see that," said Mr. 314, gesturing toward the burn marks on the cave entrance.  
"Yeah, but..." said Mr. 73, looking back at the cave, then back to the others. "There was... People died... Inside, there's still...." He fell silent for a moment, then sighed and turned around. "I just wanted to warn you."  
He started walking, and the other three followed him, past the charred and broken pillars outside and into the inky blackness of the cave. Mr. 73 held up the large stick he had picked up along the way to the cave and lit it on fire, casting a flickering, orangeish light on the cold, gray stone walls.  
Mr. 286 immediately noticed the smell. It was a terrible smell, sweet and sour at the same time, that made his stomach lurch. He looked around. Other than the smell, it didn't seem that scary...  
The four of them crept through the passage, soon coming to a large, open cavern. 286 was surprised; he'd thought the whole cave would be like the entrance, small and narrow. He stared in awe at the dimly-lit chamber. He could tell it had once been a very nice place. The walls seemed to shimmer, the pink and purple rock reflecting back in the dim torchlight. The carvings from the entrance were continued on the walls inside, strange curves and shapes that seemed random, yet meaningful at the same time.  
Distracted by the haunting beauy of the cave, 286 forgot to watch where he was going, until his foot landed in something wet and gooey, sucking it in with a SCHLUUURP sound.  
Horrified, he froze, looking down to see what he'd stepped in. He gasped sitlently, then screamed, again silently.  
It looked like a large lump, with the top wrapped in purple cloth and the bottom wrapped in dirty white. It was oozing something wet and sticky where 286 had touched it, and there were little white things crawling all over it, and in and out of what had once been its skin, and in the holes where eyes once had been. It smelled like the rest of the cave, only worse, stronger, as if all of the smell had been put in one place.  
Pulling his foot out with a strange ttthp sound, he scrambled away, up against a wall, but he knew he could never get far enough away. He could feel the gooey liquid seeping through his pants and onto his leg. He couldn't stand the feeling, or the smell, or the image of the body- he was collapsing- he couldn't stand it, but he couldn't get away- he couldn't move- he could feel himself falling apart- everything he'd eaten came up out of his mouth and onto the ground-  
Strong arms grabbed him and pulled him up. He clung to the body they were attached to, burying his face in the coarse fabric of the plum-colored robes, sobbing silently, shaking violently.  
"You have to be more careful," Mr. 73 scolded in a gentle, tearful whisper as he stroked 286's back.  
286 jumped when another hand touched his shoulder. He looked up to see Mr. 314, his eyes wide with fright. He, too, was shaking as he wrapped his arms around 286 and started crying along with them.  
  
He's crying...  
Error: extraneous stimulus  
Instruction: walk to him  
Error: instruction not issued by commander  
Walk to him...  
Error: instruc-  
Walk to him... He's crying... Walk to-  
Error: extraneous stimulus overload  
Resetting intelligence system  
Default Mission: Wait for Orders  
Default Objective: Obey  
  
286 heard Mr. 314 gasp, and looked up. 286 silently gasped, too.  
287 was standing right next to them.  
"What is it?" Mr. 73 asked. "What's wrong?"  
"He walked over here without being told to..." replied Mr. 314, his voice full of awe. "He... Ever since he hit his head... he hasn't done anything without being ordered to..."  
His fear pushed aside for the moment, 286 left the embrace and turned toward his friend. For a moment, he thought he saw a hint of sadness in those golden eyes-  
They were blank again.  
For a little while, the four just stood there silently, lost in thought; then Mr. 73 cleared his throat. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "We have to keep going."  
Reluctantly, the little party kept walking.  
286 was much more wary now. He peered cautiously at the ground, trying to avoid looking to the sides at the bodies he now saw were scattered around the passage: more Black Mages, and big monsters, and thin, furry bodies with long tails that 286 had never seen before and wished he'd never seen.  
They walked through a large door and followed a narrow path through a dark room into another large room like the first, only even more beautiful. Light entered this one through a small opening in the top, and reflected off the metal decorations on the walls. A large bell, tipped onto its side, lay on one end of the room.  
For the first time in a long time, 286 smiled. It was so beautiful...  
"Almost done," said Mr. 73, as they entered yet another passage. This one had many pools of red-stained water, and more bodies. Walking into such a horrible place after being in the last chamber made 286 want to cry. He narrowed his eyes, trying to block out the image of the room and remember the warm beauty of the last one.  
"Right out here," said Mr. 73. He was standing by a blood-spattered door. "This door goes outside. Um, there's some humans around here... So what we have to do is run. That way." he pointed to the right side of the doorway. "There's this forest... Well, not a forest, but, uh, lots of trees. Run that way. Are you ready?"  
286 gave one last glance around the cave, shivered, and nodded.  
Mr. 73 slowly swung the door open. 286 was almost knocked off balance by a wave of hot, dry air that blasted through the chamber-  
And then they were running, Mr. 314 in front and looking back to make sure 287 was following, then 286 and Mr. 73. They ran for what seemed to 286 like forever, creeping closer to a patch of lush green that contrasted sharply with the gray rock face behind it and dry, grassy plain in front of it. He tried to ignore the burning sensation in his chest, picking out a tree and running just toward that, watching as it became clearer with each step, its broad leaves coming into view, followed by its little red fruits, clearer with each step... just a few more... one or two...  
And finally they were there, the three aware mages collapsing to the ground and panting for breath, while 287 stood at attention as always, his breath coming in quick gasps, until Mr. 314 ordered him to sit down.  
Mr. 73 leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes. "We made it," he said with a grin.  
"We're there?" asked Mr. 314, lifting his hat a bit to wipe away sweat with his sleeve. "This is the village?"  
"Oh, no," said Mr. 73. "Um, I meant we made it here without being seen. A human saw me last time..." He trailed off, then suddenly lifted himself to his feet, walking slowly into the trees and motioning the others to follow.  
They walked wearily a short distance to a small stream. "Drink," said Mr. 73, leaning down himself to scoop some water into a white-gloved hand and lift it to his lips. 287 immediately complied, and Mr. 314 soon followed.  
286 kneeled down and scooped up some water for himself. The water was slightly sweet and wonderfully cold, and he closed his eyes, relishing the cool sensation of it running down his throat, spreading through his body, soothing aching sides and burning lungs, easing the ache in his legs from the strain of too much activity on newly healed bones.  
"How- What-" sputtered Mr. 314, and 286 looked up to bright, energetic eyes, full of bewilderment.  
"It's magic water," replied Mr. 73, a calm, satisfied smile on his face. "Hey, you should wash your arm in it, too."  
Tentatively, Mr. 314 dipped his wounded arm into the water, giving a small yelp and pulling back as a rough piece of scabby skin came off. He pulled his arm to him protectively, examining it, and his eyes widened. "Look," he said grinning, showing his arm to 286, who returned the grin. What had been a large scab was now smooth, healthy black skin.  
Mr. 73 had taken off some of the pouches that had been hanging over his shoulder and was now emptying them out. Mr. 314 asked the question before 286 could find a way to communicate: "What are you doing?"  
"Getting water," replied the C-type. "This is good water, and we'll need it." He dunked one pouch underwater for a moment, waiting until bubbles stopped coming out, then tightened the leather thong woven through its opening and tied it tightly.  
"What is the next part?" asked Mr. 314, lounging against a rock.  
A frown passed over Mr. 73's face, but was quickly hidden. "Um... Don't worry about it now. We need to rest."  
286 didn't need any more encouragement, and he curled up next to Mr. 314 and closed his eyes. After all, it couldn't be any worse than that cave...  
  



End file.
